Celebrating Life By Being A Brunette

Recently I was discussing my upcoming hair appointment with THE HUSBAND. He was enthralled, I assure you. He finally asked why I didn’t just go to my natural hair color. I said, “What are you talking about? Blonde is my natural color. “

He just looked at me with confusion. I looked in the mirror with confusion.

When did I become a brunette? When I was young I was blonde, like towhead blonde. In high school and college I was blonde. I know each child made my hair a tiny bit darker. And somewhere along the way I started highlighting it- a little. But these deep brown roots, where did they come from?

It took a few days until I decided to come clean with myself and the world. I am not a young blonde. I am a brunette mom of 5, who is rapidly burning through her 30’s.

Here’s the amazingly unexpected thing- I am so happy with that.

For me it was more than just changing the color of my hair. It was about self awareness and being comfortable with who I am, and who I am not.

Being brunette is about celebrating all the stuff of life that changes us and makes us better. It is about embracing where I am.

This new freedom of being good with myself overflows into most other areas of my life. My workouts for example. I no longer swing kettle bells and suffer through burpees with the hopes of flat abs. Let’s face it, after birthing five kids in just under nine years my abs have given me the middle finger and settled happily into droopiness. That’s okay. Now my workouts are about strength and health, what they should have been about all along.

This is a good place. A freeing place. A hard place to find.

If you highlight your hair I am not saying you should quit. Highlight on sister. I’m just hoping that when you see a true glimpse of yourself; in the mirror, in a quiet time, in a friend’s words, you embrace it. Celebrate the gift of your life. Look in the mirror at those developing laugh lines, changing hair and possibly kid food stained yoga pants. Smile at that lady and congratulate her on living a full life. Say, keep it up. You’re doing great.

Because you are.

In case you were wondering here is a pic of the new hair. ( I have also learned I cannot take a good selfie if my life depended on it. I am okay with that. I cannot stop making weird/stupid faces. I am mostly trying not to laugh. )